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Sheep and Goat Disease

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APHIS protects U.S. sheep and goats from several significant diseases. The National

Scrapie Eradication Program is our main focus. We also address other foreign,

zoonotic, or emerging diseases when needed and monitor and promote sheep and

goat health and productivity.

Brucellosis 
Brucellosis (also known as contagious abortion or Bang's disease) is a costly disease

of livestock and wildlife.

Mycoplasma Ovipneumoniae 

Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae is a bacterium found in the nasal cavity and sinuses of

domestic sheep and goats, as well as bighorn sheep and mountain goats.

Scrapie 

Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative disease that affects the central nervous system of

sheep and goats. It is classified as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy.

Vesicular Stomatitis 

Vesicular stomatitis is a contagious disease of livestock, mainly affecting horses and

cattle. Occasionally, this disease can infect swine, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, and

even people.

Educate, Report, and Submit

You can help by officially identifying your sheep and goats, submitting samples from

mature dead sheep and goats for scrapie testing, and implementing a biosecurity

plan that includes scrapie-resistant genetics. 

Learn more about scrapie prevention and testing

Disease Prevention and Management

National Animal Health Monitoring System Goat Studies

National Animal Health Monitoring System Sheep Studies

National Scrapie Eradication Program

Biosecurity for Sheep and Goat Producers

Sheep and Goat Identification

Zoonotic Sheep and Goat Diseases
Some sheep and goat diseases are zoonotic, meaning they can spread to humans.

People can contract zoonotic diseases through direct contact with infected animals,

consuming contaminated food or water, or inhaling disease particles. Flies, ticks,

mosquitoes, and other pests can also spread diseases from animals to people.

Below is a condensed list of zoonotic sheep and goat diseases. They are grouped by

common routes for human infection. Many of these diseases, whether in animals or

people, are reportable to State and Federal authorities. Contact your State

veterinarian or your State/local health department for information about disease

reporting requirements in animals or people.

Spread To Humans Through Handling Sheep and Goats

Anthrax

Brucellosis

Contagious ecthyma

Mange, scabies

Ringworm

Tularemia

Vesicular stomatitis

Chlamydiosis

Leptospirosis

Spread to Humans Through Consuming Contaminated Food or Water

Anthrax (can also be contracted through breathing)

Brucellosis

Campylobacteriosis

Chlamydosis

Cryptosporidiosis

Escherichia coli

Listeriosis

Q Fever (can also be contracted through breathing)

Salmonella

Sarcocystosis

Toxoplasmosis
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (can also be contracted through skin

contact)

Spread to Humans Through Bites (Fleas, Ticks, Mosquitoes)

Louping ill

Rift Valley fever

Rabies (people can also be exposed to the virus if saliva, brain, or spinal cord

fluids of an infected animal enters cuts or breaks in the skin or mucous

membranes)

Spread to Humans Through Pests

Screwworm

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